3 ms·

What is this special nutritional niche that yogurt occupies? The majority of humans don't eat it and seem to be doing ok.

alwillis 7y ago
Yogurt is milk that’s been fermented; the result releases probiotics that can help support helpful gut bacteria. But there other fermented foods one can eat that are dairy-free, like tempeh, kimchi and miso.
- rsynnott 7y ago
  And how useful the whole dietary probiotic thing is is fairly controversial, anyway.
xzel 7y ago
Yogurt contains probiotics so I'm assuming that is the niche he is talking about, i.e, fermented foods. Also I think a lot of the world does eat yogurt. It is very common in US, Canada, Australia, Europe and Asia. I'm not sure about Africa and South America. Apparently, more than 50% of the US population does (or at least yogurt and smoothies, which I'm assuming they meant yogurt based smoothies but who knows) https://www.statista.com/statistics/279748/us-households-consumption-of-yogurt-and-smoothies https://www.statista.com/statistics/279748/us-households-con...
- cageface 7y ago
  Here in SE Asia yogurt is much less popular but there are lots of other non-dairy fermented, probiotic foods that people eat regularly like kimchi, natto, etc. So yogurt may be one of the few probiotic foods people eat in the West but it's hardly special.
  - sumedh 7y ago
    Yoghurt is pretty big in India as well.
ip26 7y ago
I was mainly thinking of K2.
malkia 7y ago
Can't tell right now, but in Bulgaria is what we get almost all day - either for breakfast, just like this, or for kids might add sugar (but no need to). Mix it with water - 50/50 or some other ratio - and you get yogurt drink - "airian", seeing here (in the US) that stores (mostly iranian) have such but salted, or carbonated. Found also the best representative (to me at least) yogurt at Whole Foods - yes, it's marked "Bulgarian", and it's pretty good :) I'm also following low-carb/keto diet, so while I like it, I have to be careful with it, though it's much better (cheat) than other things... (like ... pastry)

alwillis 7y ago

Yogurt is milk that’s been fermented; the result releases probiotics that can help support helpful gut bacteria. But there other fermented foods one can eat that are dairy-free, like tempeh, kimchi and miso.

rsynnott 7y ago
And how useful the whole dietary probiotic thing is is fairly controversial, anyway.

xzel 7y ago

Yogurt contains probiotics so I'm assuming that is the niche he is talking about, i.e, fermented foods. Also I think a lot of the world does eat yogurt. It is very common in US, Canada, Australia, Europe and Asia. I'm not sure about Africa and South America. Apparently, more than 50% of the US population does (or at least yogurt and smoothies, which I'm assuming they meant yogurt based smoothies but who knows) https://www.statista.com/statistics/279748/us-households-consumption-of-yogurt-and-smoothies https://www.statista.com/statistics/279748/us-households-con...

cageface 7y ago
Here in SE Asia yogurt is much less popular but there are lots of other non-dairy fermented, probiotic foods that people eat regularly like kimchi, natto, etc. So yogurt may be one of the few probiotic foods people eat in the West but it's hardly special.
- sumedh 7y ago
  Yoghurt is pretty big in India as well.

ip26 7y ago

I was mainly thinking of K2.

malkia 7y ago

Can't tell right now, but in Bulgaria is what we get almost all day - either for breakfast, just like this, or for kids might add sugar (but no need to). Mix it with water - 50/50 or some other ratio - and you get yogurt drink - "airian", seeing here (in the US) that stores (mostly iranian) have such but salted, or carbonated. Found also the best representative (to me at least) yogurt at Whole Foods - yes, it's marked "Bulgarian", and it's pretty good :) I'm also following low-carb/keto diet, so while I like it, I have to be careful with it, though it's much better (cheat) than other things... (like ... pastry)